Rensselaer County sends teams to Buffalo amid blizzard

UPDATE: Rensselaer County was told to hold off on sending dump trucks to the Buffalo area Wednesday morning. At this time, only the two teams from the county health department are needed. Those two teams arrived in the Buffalo area on Tuesday evening.

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Rensselaer County will be sending teams to assist the City of Buffalo and Erie County to respond to the massive snowstorm and help with recovery efforts, County Executive Steve McLaughlin announced on Tuesday. The county Highway Department will be sending eight dump trucks to the Buffalo area on Wednesday morning to assist in snow removal, and the county Health Department will also be sending two teams to assist local health and law enforcement units during search and recovery operations.

“We are all saddened by the tragic news coming from Buffalo. As neighbors, we are reaching across New York State to lend some help and support to those in the Queen City,” said McLaughlin.

“The teams leaving in the coming hours from Rensselaer County have volunteered for this mission. We are proud to say they are among the best of the best, and we are confident they will provide the same outstanding level of service in Western New York they do here every day in our great county,” said McLaughlin.

A mutual aid call for assistance has been issued across the state following the tragic snowstorm. The deployment will also provide opportunities for training and coordination for future incidents and disasters, county officials said.

“This is an example of counties coming together to provide help where needed. Someday, the help being provided now may be needed here,” said McLaughlin.

Costs incurred by Rensselaer County and other counties during the response to the Buffalo storm will be reimbursed at a future date, county officials noted.

“We have an excellent highway department, and I support County Executive McLaughlin’s generous offer to send help to Erie County as they battle the remnants of this historic storm”, said Majority Leader of the Legislature Ken Herrington.

“Rensselaer County is always ready to lend a helping hand to other municipalities, and Buffalo and Erie County can certainly use the help. Our thanks to all of the county employees that have stepped up to make trip”, said Legislature Chair of Finance Rob Bayly.